Fashion and Women's Movements in the Past Century

As said in the article Women’s Fashion in the 1800s London,”These were worn under the clothing, bodices with boning on either side and lacing to hold it together. More affluent

The 18th century, more precisely between 1715 and 1789, was a significant time period in the fashion sphere for women in France. The time period itself was a mark of great change for the history of France due to various political reasons as well as various art movements and often times fashion, despite being a branch of art, is overlooked by most viewers. However, fashion during this time excelled in France and was essentially the symbol of a new era in this domain; French fashion was now snowballing into something much greater that still echoes to this today. Ultimately, the goal of this essay is to describe women’s fashion during the period of 1715-1789 and the shifts it made through the analytical use of various sources including artwork, literature, museums’ online archives and internet sources.

Women’s fashion was a social controversy in the 1920’s. This controversy was influenced by women’s clothing, swimwear, hairstyles, makeup, and attitude alone. This attire and new found character traits added a certain attitude and confidence to these women, starting what would eventually be remembered as a revolution.

During the late 19th century and early 20th century, many American women began to feel a sense of hope that one day, they would achieve the same freedom as men had. However, women quickly realized that in order to gain the freedom they desire, they would have to change the social expectations of their time. History played a major part in helping change the social expectations, especially during World War 1 and World War 2, when women went to work and took on the jobs previously performed by American men who were fighting overseas. Many factors have contributed to the changes of social expectations concerning women’s roles in society due to the personal efforts of individual woman and groups of women who band together to fight for their independence

Throughout time women and their rights have varied among where they are living and the people that surround them. Some of the major changes with women’s rights is giving them the right to vote, reproductive rights, and the right to work for equal pay. Another thing that varies throughout time is women’s roles. For example 100 years ago the only jobs that women could have was to either be a housewife, nurse, or a teacher. Until about 1910, women didn’t really fight for their rights and what they could do. In 1910, women started to voice their opinions in society and fought for the right to vote. Though things have changed greatly today, there are still women in the world that believe in the “traditional way” and prefer to still wait on

From the 1880’s to the 1920’s, the Progressive Era was a period in American history where women’s suffrage gained the most momentum. Due to justified Progressive Era reforms and the creation of various organizations during this time, women were able to successfully protect people who were, for example, immigrants, poor, and African Americans belittled by the norms of society. With the full participation of American women, they exercised their full rights as citizens to create public institutions and shape public policy. Redefining the social structure, these middle-class women received support from other women which essentially led to changes of the rights of and treatment of American women in society. Thwarted by a male-dominated society, pleas for better treatment and equal rights made by women in the forms of protests, conventions, parades, and speeches, were often seen as foolish and meaningless. However, women’s unrelenting efforts combined with the atmosphere of reform resulted in positive outcomes such as the right to vote, the creation of new educational opportunities, and the introduction of better working conditions for women, which drastically impacted the way women apply themselves in society today.

Reform movements are what declare the need for change in America; without them, there wouldn't improvements in our society. The constant struggle to give women natural, inalienable rights has been a struggle since 1805. American leaders believed that they were unfit to be able to be a part of society. The only purpose of a women in the 1800s was to educate and raise the future citizens of America. Although it was a daunting task, it was all women had to offer to their great Nation. Indeed, women did contribute in the American revolution as nurses,cooks, and maids in the army camps. Women even took scandalous roles such as secret soldiers and spies, know as the Daughters of Liberty. Deborah Sampson Gannett was one of many that would risk her life by disguising

In the mid to late 1700's, the women of the United States of America had practically no rights. When they were married, the men represented the family, and the woman could not do anything without consulting the men. Women were expected to be housewives, to raise their children, and thinking of a job in a factory was a dream that was never thought impossible. But, as years passed, women such as Susan B. Anthony, Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucy Stone, and Elizabeth Blackwell began to question why they were at home all day raising the children, and why they did not have jobs like the men. This happened between the years of 1776 and 1876, when the lives and status of Northern middle-class woman was changed forever. Women began to

Along with their right to vote came a change in the social status of women as a whole. They were no longer viewed as inferior individuals to men, but as strong citizens of the United States who could equally contribute to the political system. Nevertheless, women began changing their “natural roles” years before the Nineteenth Amendment was even ratified. They left the domestic housewife label and took on different jobs such as factory and office work. The support of women reformers urged them to move forward and aim for a change. Because of the women reformers in the Progressive Era, modern day women are benefitting from their hard work and persistence. Women are still able to vote and express their political opinions. Female votes matter just as much as those of the men. Furthermore, women are not confined to being housewives. They can take on any job that a man can and also care for those in their home. In fact, many women are the main supporters of their households now. With that being said, women reformers paved the way for all women that followed after them. If women reformers could see a glimpse of how far women have come since their time, they would be highly pleased to see the fruits of their

Women’s roles in the American household had been the same since the discovery of America to 1848. Women in the simplest of terms were meant to run the household, raise the children, cook, clean, etc. This began changing in 1848 when women wanted to break free from the social norms and develop a social role outside of the household. Women felt that their lives would be completely transformed if they earned the right to vote; once they earned the vote then they would earn equality across the board. This desire for social change began boiling many years before 1848 when women began reading and writing domestic novels expressing anger towards women’s dependency on men. They began attending women’s academies and formed ladies’ benevolent societies where they pursued their own personal interest and activities. Then in 1848 approximately 200 women gathered together to hold the first women’s rights convention in the United States. This convention discussed the social, civil, religious condition and rights of women. There would go on to be 10 National Women’s Rights Conventions and The National Women’s Suffrage Association along with the National Women’s Party. “Although social change was a constant in the American Republic, women were expected to be the stable unchanging element in a changing world.” Although the Women's rights movement allowed the equal treatment of men and women it did cause so much pain for so many women. The Women's rights movement created equality and justice,

As the century immediately following the American Revolution, the 19th century experienced a rise in feminism as it harbored the first feminist movement in America. Although some women chose to embrace their “roots” by retaining their domestic sphere of influence, many women began to show discontent with the limited number of rights women held. Soon enough, the fight for women’s rights resulted in women gaining more prominence in society.

Cultural changes were occurring in the United States in the early 1800s that would eventually contribute to the women’s movement. The Second Great Awakening emphasized individualism, this idea expanded to people like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and, Lucretia Mott who fought for women’s right to vote.  Stanton, Mott, and a few other met in the Seneca Falls, New York; they drew up the first public protest in America against women’s political, economic, and social inferiority (Kraditor 1). Women’s roles were viewed as homemakers, being part of their family and not individuals with their own rights. Women faced many challenges throughout history with not being able to participate in politics nor receiving equality especially their voting rights. Although there wasn’t a federal amendment for women’s voting, many states did implement the rights to vote for women.

During the American Revolutionary Era, women played essential roles in the defiance against Great Britain by boycotting British products and joining the non-consumption organization. During the American Revolution, women served as nurses, cooks, maids, seamstresses, some even secretly enlisted in the Continental Army. From 1825 to 1850, women were fighting for equal opportunities as men and women’s right to vote, the Reform Period. Women’s roles were similar during the American Revolutionary Era and the Reform Movement because during both periods, women contributed to the movements, by joining political protest. Their roles differed during the periods because women during the reform movements, created conventions geared towards women, exacting

America is the land of opportunity. It is a place of rebirth, hope, and freedom. However, it was not always like that for women. Many times in history women were oppressed, belittled, and deprived of the opportunity to learn and work in their desired profession. Instead, their life was confined to the home and family. While this was a noble role, many females felt that they were being restricted and therefore desired more independence. In America, women started to break the mold in 1848 and continued to push for social, political, educational, and career freedom. By the 1920s, women had experienced significant “liberation”, as they were then allowed to vote, hold public office, gain a higher education, obtain new jobs, drastically change

The 1920s was a period of change and reform in many things ranging from entertainment, consumerism, and fashion. Fashion, one of the greatest changes in the 1920s was influenced by designers such as Coco Chanel, Jean Patou, Clara Bow, also known as the “It Girl” all influenced fashion for both women and men in the 20s. Previously, women had to behave polite and modestly and had to wear long dresses down to the ankles. But some women started to go past those social boundaries that were set by society. These women would go to speakeasies and smokes in public. The women who did these things are referred to as flappers. Men and some women saw flappers as a disgrace and were disgusted by their way of living. Slowly, as the years began to pass, women such as Coco Chanel, Jean Patou, and Clara Bow came into the fashion and entertainment industry changing the fashion and women’s ideas.